Denim and other compression garments and methods for forming the same

ABSTRACT

Provided is a compression garment formed of a stretchable woven fabric with a uniform elasticity, such as denim. A circumferential portion of the garment surrounds a wearer&#39;s body part and is characterized by different degree of stretching but the same circumferential compressive forces when worn by a wearer, at various axial locations due to geometric cuts made to the fabric to form one or more fabric panels, each of which extend along the entire length of the circumferential portion. The compressive forces, degrees of stretching and circumferential lengths of fabric, are calculated using formulas and algorithms that take into account various factors relating to the fabric and the garment being formed.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to and claims priority to Europeanapplication EP17167582.0 filed 21 Apr. 2017, the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates most generally to the textile industry andgarment production. More particularly, the present invention relates tovarious stretchable garments with various types of compressioncharacteristics, methods for forming the same and methods for providingcompression to a wearer of the stretchable compression garment.

BACKGROUND

Compression garments are textile articles that provide compression toareas of a wearer's body. Compression garments are useful in variousmedical applications for various purposes such as to improve musclesupport and/or to facilitate blood circulation. Compression garments arealso popular in sportswear to enhance athletic performance, reducemuscle fatigue and aid in muscle recovery.

Many compression garments designed for medical and therapeuticapplications are compression articles such as compression stockings orother garments that circumferentially surround a wearer's body part andare used for treating poor blood circulation, lymphedema, thrombosis orother venous and lymphatic system dysfunctions. US 2011/0257575 andUS2005/0113729 teach using a compression garment to treat lymphedema,for example. Compression garments designed for sportswear enhance bloodcirculation and muscle performance during sport activities. Thesecompression garments help to relieve pain from muscle stiffness andimprove blood flow and oxygenation to muscles during and following sportactivities. Compression garments for sportswear include shirts, shorts,pants, tights, socks, sleeves for various body parts, and undergarments.

Conventional garments produced by the textile industry include varioustypes of garments with various types of elasticities. Garments with highdegrees of elasticity can be obtained using various elastomericmaterials such as polyurethanic fibers that can stretch to considerablelengths without breaking. Examples of elastomeric fibers are elastaneand spandex and similar materials. Garments with lower degrees ofelasticity can be obtained using various different natural or syntheticfibers. The fibers that provide lower degrees of elasticity generallypresent high recovery properties along with limited elasticity. Varioustypes of fibers with various degrees of elasticity are provided in USpatent application Publ. No. 2013/0260129, entitled Composite StretchYarn, Process and Fabric.

Compression therapy refers to specially designed garments to manageblood circulation, especially in the feet and legs. Compression socks,in particular, have many great health benefits that not only athletescan benefit from. Wearing compression socks invigorates the legs byoxygenating the blood, boosting the nutrients to that area of the body,reducing pain and weakness, preventing swelling, and helping toregenerate damaged tissues. Compression socks work by gently squeezinggradual compression to the leg, adding pressure to the tissue directlyunder the skin. By putting pressure on the subcutaneous tissue, excessfluid is encouraged to go back into the capillaries. Compression therapyalso prevents superficial veins from causing to overfill with blood bykeeping the blood flowing forward.

Candidates for compression therapy could be just about anyone. Some ofthe main candidates are those who suffer venous diseases. The medicalprocess of getting chronic venous disease relief allows compressionsocks to prompt valves to work efficiently. Other symptoms or conditionsthat can be treated by compression theory include surgery, pregnancy,leg injuries, blood clots in veins, prolonged periods with little or nomovement, obesity or excessive weight gain, varicose ‘spider’ veins, andcirculation problems due to aging or running or high intensity exercise.

The medical process of chronic venous disease relief allows compressionsocks to prompt valves to work efficiently. Compression socks helpimprove a runner's lactate threshold, decreasing the soreness fromrunning. Various studies have shown that compression garments wornduring exercise reduce fatigue and muscular pain and they were alsoproven to reduce deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for airline passengers.

Compression socks and other compression garments for medicalapplications and for sportswear, are traditionally manufactured byknitting technology but recently, compression socks have becomefashionable in colors and styles. Garments formed by knitting includevarious shortcomings and limitations. One such limitation is thatknitting technology is not suitable for many textile processes such asdyeing, washing, laser treatment or various other textile processes.Knitted compression garments are therefore not very useful, ratherunfavored and have limited application.

Various knitted compression garments present different levels ofcompression at different locations of the fabric. In some examples,knitted compression garments for medical applications are used forpromoting blood circulation and provide different levels of compressionthroughout the garment. US2012/0210487 A1 discloses a garment in whichone or more regions can include areas in which the elasticity of thegarment fabric itself has been reduced. In particular, those regions caninclude imprinted patterns and the elasticity of fabric portions havingthe applied pattern is reduced. US2012/0222187 A1 discloses a garmentformed of multiple panels and in which the stretchable material of asecond panel has higher stretch and recovery characteristics compared tothe stretchable material of a first panel. US2012/100778 A1 disclosestrousers having parts of the trousers' fabric woven to have differentdensities so as to generate forces for externally rotating a wearer'sleg joints around the pelvis, and US2013/0174317 A1 discloses acompression garment, in particular a full length lower body garmentdesigned for improving circulation, formed of multiple different fabricpanels.

US 2014/0165265 provides jeans and a measuring system directed tofitting jeans and actively shaping the jeans to the user's silhouette toprovide form-fitting jeans. Different degrees of stretch are achieved byforming multiple different types of garment portions using apolyurethane coating on the inside surface in some regions. U.S. Pat.No. 6,430,752 provides a compression short made of a plurality of stripsof elastomeric material sewn together in various diagonal,criss-crossing arrangements.

Multiple fabric panels with different appearances are not aestheticallypleasing due to the multiplicity of the sections that combine to formthe garment and the multiplicity of seams between the sections. This isespecially problematic in garments desired to be worn by users as a“normal”, fashionable garment, i.e. at times other than specificallywhen working out. Furthermore, there are multiple seams used to join themultiple fabric panels together at various locations and the multipleseams may collectively prove to be uncomfortable to the wearer. Themultiple fabric panels with multiple compression intensities are formedfrom different types of fabrics and produce varying compressive forces.As such, multiple different fabrics are required to form a singlecompression garment and multiple fabric pieces must be produced and thefabric panels joined together. The requirement of producing a fabricwith different properties is also cumbersome and costly. The requirementof multiple different types of fabrics makes it very costly to form asingle compression garment.

SUMMARY

The above objects and aims are reached by means of the present inventionthat provides a compression garment according to claim 1, a method formanufacturing a compression garment according to claim 12, and the useof a compression garment to provide compression to a body part of awearer as in claim 13.

The invention is based on the principle that different degrees ofgarment stretching can produce the same circumferential garmentcompression depending on the circumference of the stretched garment. Thedegree of stretch of a garment is determined based on the relaxedcircumference of a garment and the stretched circumference of thegarment, such as when worn by a user. The degree of stretch isassociated with a garment compressive force (F) on a stress-straincurve. The garment compressive force (F), together with stretched lengthor circumference of the user body part (U), determines garmentcircumferential compression (P), also referred to as garment compression(P), applied by a garment upon a wearer. Because of this relationship, acircumferential portion of a compression garment made of a single fabricmaterial such as a one-ply, uncoated fabric material, can have differentdegrees of stretching at different axial locations, i.e. differentdegrees of deformation, yet provide the same garment compression and theinvention provides for producing such a garment.

In particular, an object of the invention is to determine necessarygarment dimensions based on mathematical relationships, and cut a panelof a woven stretchable fabric with uniform elastic propertiesaccordingly, such that the relaxed circumferential lengths and thedegree of stretching of a circumferential portion of the garment vary,but in which the garment circumferential compression (P) applied upon awearer, is the same at all axial locations of the circumferentialportion of the garment. In some embodiments, the relaxed circumferentiallengths both increase and decrease multiple times, along the axialdirection. In some embodiments, the degree of stretching both increasesand decreases multiple times, along the axial direction.

According to some objects, provided is a compression garment (68, 80)comprising a circumferential portion (66) formed of a woven stretchablefabric (10) with uniform elastic properties, and characterized asexhibiting different degrees of stretching at different axial locationsof the circumferential portion but providing the same degree of garmentcompression (P) throughout the circumferential portion, when thecompression garment is in a stressed state as worn by a wearer (70).

In some compression garment (68, 80) embodiments, the degree ofstretching comprises ((U,stretched−U,relaxed)/U relaxed), whereU,stretched comprises stretched circumferential length of thecompression garment in a stressed state when worn, and U,relaxedcomprises circumferential length of the compression garment in a relaxedstate. Along an axial direction of the circumferential portion (66),values for circumferential lengths (12C, 14C, 16C, 18C, 20C, 22C, 24C,26C) of the circumferential portion first increase, then decrease, thenincrease, at least a plurality of times when the compression garment isin a relaxed state in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the circumferential portion may include undulations(504, 506) in the axial direction when in a relaxed state.

In some embodiments, the circumferential portion may includecircumferentially extending ridges (504) along the axial locations whenin a relaxed state.

The compression garment may be a single ply, uncoated material.

The circumferential portion (66) may comprise no more than a singlepanel (2,4) of the woven stretchable fabric.

In some embodiments, the circumferential portion (66) may comprise twopanels (2,4) of the woven stretchable fabric (10), joined to form seamsthat extend along the axial direction (28) of the circumferentialportion (66), each the panel extending completely from one longitudinalend to an opposed longitudinal end of the circumferential portion.

The woven stretchable fabric (10) may comprise denim.

In some embodiments, the compression garment may comprise a pair ofjeans (68) and the circumferential portion may comprise a thigh portionof a pant leg (60).

The compression garment may comprise compression socks (80) or sleevesthat cover the wearer's lower legs.

Another object of the invention is the use of any compression garment(68) described above for treatment of poor blood circulation,lymphedema, thrombosis and other venous and lymphatic systemdysfunctions of the wearer.

Another object of the invention provides a method for manufacturing acompression garment. The method comprises: providing an uncoatedstretchable woven fabric (10); cutting (1005) the single-ply, uncoatedstretchable woven fabric (10) to form at least one panel (2, 4) thereof,and forming (1007) a circumferential portion (60) of the compressiongarment (68) in which each the at least one panel (2, 4) extends toopposed longitudinal ends of the circumferential portion, wherein thecircumferential portion exhibits different degrees of stretching butapplies the same degree of circumferential garment compression (P) atdifferent axial locations (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26), when thecompression garment is in a stressed condition when worn by a wearer(70).

In some embodiments, the method includes wherein the cutting comprisescutting the single-ply uncoated stretchable woven fabric (10) to producecircumferential lengths that increase, then decrease, then increase(225, 227, 229), at least a plurality of times, along an axialdirection, when the circumferential portion is in a relaxed state.

In some embodiments, the method includes the cutting forming a singlepanel having a seam (65) that extends in the axial direction (62).

In some embodiments, the method includes the cutting forming two thepanels (2, 4) joined to form seams that extend in an axial direction ofthe circumferential portion (60).

In some embodiments, the method includes the uncoated stretchable wovenfabric being a single-ply uncoated stretchable woven fabric, withuniform elasticity.

In some embodiments, the method includes the stretchable woven fabric(10) being denim.

In some embodiments, the method includes the compression garmentcomprising a pair of jeans (68).

In some embodiments, the method includes the compression garmentcomprising compression socks (80).

In some embodiments, the method includes the different degrees ofstretching including degrees of stretching that increase then decreasethen increase along at least one group of three successive axiallocations (14, 16, 18) of the axial locations, when the compressiongarment is in the stretched state as worn by the wearer (70).

In some embodiments, the method comprises calculating (1003) a pluralityof relaxed circumferential fabric lengths to produce the same degree ofgarment circumferential compression (P) exerted on a wearer's body partwhen the circumferential garment portion is in the stretched conditionwhen worn by a typical wearer, at each of the plurality of the differentaxial locations (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26) according to equation(1),

$\begin{matrix}{{Pi} = \frac{20\; \Pi^{*}\; F_{i}}{U_{i}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$

wherein P=garment circumferential compression in kPa, F=garmentcompressive force in N/cm and U=body part circumference in cm, at eachmeasuring point i associated with a corresponding one of the pluralityof the different axial locations of the compressive garment portion,and wherein the cutting is based on the calculating and produces theplurality of relaxed circumferential fabric lengths.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises forming (2005) a modelcircumferential garment portion using at least one panel of thesingle-ply, uncoated stretchable woven fabric (10); measuring (2007) arelaxed circumferential length of the model circumferential garmentportion in a relaxed condition, at each of the plurality of thedifferent axial locations; stretching (2011) the model circumferentialgarment portion by placing the model circumferential garment portion ona body model member having known circumferential lengths at each theaxial location, to provide a plurality of stretched circumferentiallengths (U) (2013); and calculating (2023) the garment compressive force(F) based on the degree of stretching using a stress-strain relationshipof the single-ply, uncoated stretchable woven fabric at each the axiallocation.

In some embodiments, the method comprises the known circumferentiallengths of the body model member or dimensions being associated with asize chart for a particular wearer size, and further comprises forming(2005) a model circumferential garment portion using at least one panelof the single ply, uncoated stretchable woven fabric (10); measuring(2007) a relaxed circumferential length of the model circumferentialgarment portion in a relaxed condition, at each of the plurality of thedifferent axial locations; stretching (2011) the model circumferentialgarment portion by placing the model circumferential garment portion ona body part model having known circumferential lengths at each the axiallocation, to provide a plurality of stretched circumferential lengths(2013); measuring (2019) the garment compression P at each axiallocation of said model circumferential garment portion; and calculating(2023) a garment compressive force F based on the measured garmentcompression P, at each said axial location; calculating (2015, 2017) adegree of stretching at each said axial location using the stretchedcircumferential lengths and the relaxed circumferential lengths;determining (2029) fabric compressive force f at each said axiallocation using a stress-strain curve of the stretchable single layerwoven fabric (10) and the calculated degrees of stretching at each axiallocation; determining (2031) a seam correction factor by comparing thecalculated garment compressive force F to the determined fabriccompressive force f; determining (2039) a required garment compressiveforce F,required, to produce the desired garment compression at eachsaid axial location; converting (2043) the required garment compressiveforce F,required to a required fabric compressive force f at each saidaxial location by multiplying the required garment compressive force Fby the seam correction factor; and determining (2051) thecircumferential fabric lengths using the required fabric compressiveforce f and the stress-strain curve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Further aspects and advantages in accordance with the present disclosurewill be discussed more in detail with reference to the encloseddrawings, given by way of non-limiting example, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows two pieces of stretchable fabric such as may be combined toform a pant leg for a pair of jeans. Each of the two pieces ofstretchable fabric has geometric cuts made according to aspects of theinvention.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of two pieces of stretchable fabric suchas may be combined to form a pant leg for a pair of jeans. Each of thetwo pieces of stretchable fabric is cut according to aspects of theinvention.

FIG. 3 shows yet another embodiment of two pieces of stretchable fabricsuch as may be combined to form a pant leg for a pair of jeans. Each ofthe two pieces of stretchable fabric is shaped according to aspects ofthe invention.

FIG. 4 shows a comparison between a conventionally cut pant leg and anembodiment of a panel of fabric that is a portion of a pant leg havingdimensions determined and cut, in accordance to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 shows two pieces of stretchable fabric joined together to form apant leg according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5A shows an embodiment of a compression garment having ridgedfeatures in a relaxed state but which provides uniform compression to awearer.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a pant leg of a compressive garment formedaccording to the disclosure, as worn by a typical wearer.

FIG. 7 shows a garment portion formed of a cylindrical compressivegarment portion formed of a stretchable elastic material joined to acylindrical garment portion formed of inelastic material.

FIG. 8 shows a compression sock embodiment of a compressive garmentformed according to the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing aspects of a method used to form acompression garment in accordance with the disclosure.

FIGS. 10A and 10B together present a flow chart showing additionaldetails of a method used to form a compression garment in accordancewith the disclosure.

FIG. 11 shows examples of stress-strain curves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a compression garmentformed of a stretchable fabric. The garment includes at least onecircumferential portion that surrounds a wearer's body part such as anarm, leg, foot, abdomen or a part thereof. In some embodiments, thegarment or at least the circumferential portion of the garment is formedof a single fabric. In some embodiments, the stretchable fabric itselfhas a uniform, i.e. constant, elasticity while in other embodiments, theelasticity changes throughout the fabric. The garment may advantageouslybe a denim garment and according to various advantageous embodiments ofthe disclosure, the compression garment is a pair of socks or a pair ofpants, or trousers. The garment provides degrees of compressive forcethat may be uniform throughout the garment, or that may vary atdifferent axial locations of the circumferential portion, when thegarment is worn by a typical wearer, i.e. when the garment is stressed.

The stretchable fabric with the uniform elasticity, may be a single-ply,uncoated fabric and the circumferential portion may be formed of asingle panel or it may be formed of a plurality of panels, each panelextending along the entire axial direction of the circumferentialportion

The circumferential garment with the compressive forces that may beuniform throughout the compression garment or that may vary alongdifferent axial locations of the compression garment, does not requiremultiple pieces of fabric joined to one another along the axial orlongitudinal direction. Rather, a single piece of fabric or two piecesof fabric coupled laterally to form seams that extend in thelongitudinal, i.e. axial direction, may be used to produce garmentcompression that may be uniform or which may vary at different axiallocations. The fabric panel or each of the fabric panels may extendcompletely from one longitudinal end to the opposed longitudinal end ofthe circumferential portion. In some embodiments, multiple fabric panelsmay be made from a woven stretchable fabric type, i.e. each of thefabric panels is formed of the same material such as a fabric havinguniform elasticity, and may be combined to form a circumferentialportion of a compression garment.

According to an aspect of the invention, a method for treatment of poorblood circulation, lymphedema, thrombosis or other venous and lymphaticsystem dysfunctions of a human or other animal, is provided. The methodincludes manufacturing the compression garment according to variousaspects of the invention and the wearer wearing the circumferentialportion of the compression garment.

An aspect of the invention provides for the use of a garment as above,as used in the treatment of poor blood circulation, lymphedema,thrombosis or other venous and lymphatic system dysfunctions of a humanor other animal According to an aspect of the invention, a method forcalculating dimensions and making corresponding geometric cuts toproduce a circumferential portion of a garment with desired garmentcompression at various axial locations, is provided.

The compression garment includes a circumferential portion that may be“characterized” as having a plurality of circumferential bands atdifferent axial locations of the circumferential portion although eachof the “bands” is formed of the same fabric material or materials. Inother words, regardless of the axial location of the so-called “bands”each of the respective bands is formed of a single fabric materialaccording to embodiments in which the circumferential portion is formedof one fabric panel or each of the so-called “bands” is formed of twocircumferentially joined panels that combine to form the circumferentialportion. In some embodiments, the fabric panel of the circumferentialportion extends completely from one longitudinal end to the opposedlongitudinal end of the circumferential portion. The circumferentialbands may advantageously be tailored to provide uniform compressionthroughout the circumferential portion, i.e. each of the circumferentialbands provides the same compression. The circumferential bands mayexhibit different degrees of stretching, or the same degree ofstretching when the compression garment is worn by a typical wearer.

In preferred embodiments, there are different degrees of stretching atthe various axial locations but the degree of garment circumferentialcompression (P) applied to a wearer, is the same. “Degree of stretching”refers to the stretched length of a fabric at a particular time comparedto the length of the fabric in a relaxed state.

The term wearer and the expression “typical wearer” as used herein, areused to refer to a human having body part dimensions that aresubstantially equal to body part dimensions for an associated industrystandard size chart associated with a particular size of a particulargarment. In some embodiments, the typical wearer is a wearer having ananatomy defined by shapes, sizes and relative sizes falling within arange of normal shapes, sizes and relative sizes typically associatedwith a particular garment size and type, i.e. within an average ornormal range for a person that wears a particular garment type and size.

The compressive force exerted by the compression garment is acircumferentially applied force experienced when the garment is worn bythe wearer, i.e. when the circumferential portion of the compressiongarment is in its stressed state and if referred to as garmentcompression (P).

Uniform compression provides the same amount of compression to all partsof the wearer's body part, e.g. the leg. Uniform compression has beenfound to offer more overall support, relief and preventive measures forfuture leg issues.

The disclosure provides for making geometric or other cuts to the fabricto produce at least one panel of the fabric. The panel may have at leastone non-linear edge. The panel is joined to another panel or to anotheredge of the same fabric panel to form a circumferential portion of acompression garment. When in a relaxed state such as when not beingworn, the circumferential portion may exhibit undulations along theaxial direction, i.e. when viewed along the axial direction there may bea succession of ridges. In one embodiment, the elasticity of the fabricis uniform throughout the fabric itself and the garment so formed,includes uniform garment compression at all locations, includinganatomical locations with different circumferences, when worn by awearer. In this embodiment of a uniform elasticity garment, the degreeof stretching will vary at the different axial locations to produce thesame degree of garment compression throughout the circumferentialportion due to geometric cuts that are made to produce specified fabricdimensions and compression levels, at various locations along thegarment. In other words, the uniform compression at various locations,is obtained by designing the garment to have dimensions that will resultin different degrees of stretching when the garment is worn by the userin accordance with this embodiment. Garment compression is compressiveforce and is a circumferential compression, i.e. a compressive forceexerted in the circumferential direction.

By “the same garment compression” or the “same degree of garmentcompression” or “the same compression”, it is meant throughout thedisclosure, that the compression value is substantially the same, e.g.it varies no more than +/−5%, for example.

In other embodiments, the garment compression varies at differentlocations of the circumferential portion due to different or the samedegrees of stretching, when worn by a wearer.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a stretchable fabric withuniform, i.e., constant or non-uniform elasticity, and a method formaking geometric or other cuts to the fabric to produce at least onepanel of the fabric. The geometric cuts are determined by a calculationthat takes into account various factors relating to the fabric and thegarment being produced. The produced fabric may have edges with any ofvarious shapes such as at least one non-linear edge and will haveparticular dimensions at various locations that are determined by anengineered pattern design.

The panel is joined to another panel or to another edge of the fabric,to form a seam and a compression garment or a circumferential portion ofa compression garment, that may include a uniform compressive force atall axial locations including embodiments in which the elasticity of thefabric is uniform throughout the fabric or in which it varies. Thedescribed circumferential portion of the compression garment does notrequire multiple fabric panels disposed along and joined to one anotheralong the longitudinal direction of the circumferential portion.

The compression garment includes a circumferential portion thatsurrounds a wearer's body and includes desired compressive forces(“garment compression”) calculated for various locations along the axialdirection and therefore at various locations of the human anatomy thathave different circumferential lengths, when worn by a wearer.

The cuts are based on an engineered pattern design that providesparticular garment dimensions at various locations calculated to producedesired degrees of stretching and provide desired compression effects atvarious locations of the garment, when the garment is worn. Thegeometric cuts may produce a fabric panel with one or more customtailored edges. When the fabric panel is used to produce a compressiongarment such as by joining two edges of the fabric panel together toform a circumferential portion, the circumferential portion includesdesired degrees of garment compression at various locations, when worn.The circumferential portion may exhibit undulations along the axialdirection in a relaxed state, i.e. when viewed along the axial directionthere may be a succession of ridges and, when worn, the circumferentialportion stretches to different degrees, yet provides the same garmentcompression.

The garment compression (P) exerted at any circumferential locationdepends upon the type of fabric, the degree of stretching of the garmentand also the circumference of the anatomy of the wearer, at thatlocation.

The calculation used to determine the geometric cuts, is based upon anumber of factors and may utilize a formula or algorithm to create adesired pattern for the geometric cuts. The factors may include thestress-strain characteristics of the fabric, the desired compressionclass, size or measurement charts for the garment which may be based onbrand, correction factors such as seam corrections and various othercorrections and compression standards. Various diagrams may be generatedusing various algorithms and mathematical formulas that take intoaccount the above and other factors.

In some aspects, the manufacturing method includes calculating theplurality of circumferential fabric lengths to produce a desired garmentcompression, P, exerted on a typical wearer's body part when thecircumferential garment portion is in a stretched condition when worn bya typical wearer, at each of a plurality of the different axiallocations according to equation (1),

$\begin{matrix}{{Pi} = \frac{20\; \Pi^{*}\; F_{i}}{U_{i}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$

wherein P=garment compression in kPa, F=garment compressive force inN/cm and U=body part circumference in cm, at each measuring point iassociated with a corresponding one of the plurality of the differentaxial locations of the compressive garment portion. Garment cuts aremade based on these calculations, as will be described below.

Various kinds of compression garments are formed in accordance with theembodiments of the disclosure and the circumferential portion of thegarments may be a sleeve or a portion of a sleeve including knee sleevesand leg sleeves, a pant leg, a sock, a shirt, collar or various otherportions. In some embodiments, the compression garment itself is acircumferential garment, i.e. a garment that surrounds a body part ofthe wearer such as socks or sleeves including knee sleeves and legsleeves. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides compression socksthat extend up to a wearer's knee but compression socks of other lengthsare also provided. In some embodiments, the “compression socks” areactually sleeves that extend from the wearer's ankle to knees, i.e. theydo not encompass the wearer's foot. In some embodiments, the disclosureprovides a compression device such as a wrist support, elbow support,knee support, or ankle support. In some embodiments, the compressiongarment is a pair of tights. In some embodiments, the compressiongarment is a fashion garment for every day wear. In some advantageousembodiments, the compression garment is a pair of pants formed ofstretchable denim and in various embodiments, the denim pants include anincreased compression level at the ankle and a decreasing compression inthe upward direction along each pant leg. In other advantageousembodiments, the compression garment is a pair of pants or compressionsocks formed of stretchable denim and in which the degree of stretchingand the garment compression (P) is constant throughout thecircumferential garment.

FIG. 1 shows two panels of fabric such as may be combined to form a pantleg for a pair of pants or jeans. Although FIG. 1 shows two panels offabric that combine to form a pant leg, it should be understood that invarious other embodiments, the fabric panels formed using the garmentlength calculations and the geometric cuts according to the disclosure,may be used to form other circumferential garments and circumferentialgarments portions, such as described above. The panel or panels may takeon various other shapes and be used to form various other garments andapparel in other embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows front panel 2 and rear panel 4 such as may be combined toform a pant leg for a pair of trousers, i.e. jeans or pants. Front panel2 is defined by cut edges 6 and rear panel 4 is defined by cut edges 8.In the illustrated embodiment, each of front panel 2 and rear panel 4 isformed of fabric 10. Fabric 10 may be any suitable stretchable fabricsuch as described herein. Fabric 10 may be a single-ply uncoatedmaterial with uniform elasticity throughout. In advantageousembodiments, fabric 10 may be characterized by having constantelasticity through the fabric. In some uniform elasticity embodiments,the elasticity in the warp direction may vary from the elasticity in theweft direction and in other embodiments, the elasticity is the same inboth the warp and weft directions. In other embodiments, the elasticityvaries throughout fabric 10. In some embodiments, fabric 10 is anuntreated fabric. In some embodiments, fabric 10 is an uncoated fabricand in some embodiments, fabric 10 is an untreated and uncoated fabric.In other embodiments, more than two pieces of fabric panels may beformed from fabric 10, i.e. formed from the same fabric type withuniform elasticity, and may be combined to form a circumferentialportion of a compression garment, each panel extending along the entirelength of the formed circumferential portion. According to some of theaforementioned or subsequently disclosed embodiments, either or both offront panel 2 and rear panel 4 may include a uniform elasticity oreither or both may include a nonuniform elasticity.

In some embodiments, fabric 10 is advantageously a woven stretchablefabric. Fabric 10 may be a blended woven fabric material with inelasticand elastic fibers. Fabric 10 is stretchable woven denim according tovarious advantageous embodiments but in other embodiments, fabric 10 maybe one of any of various other suitable stretchable fabrics.

Fabric 10 may be formed of various types of elastomeric fibers thatprovide high degrees of elasticity such as elastane and spandex andother similar materials. Fabric 10 is advantageously a single-ply orsingle layer of material. Some examples of elastomeric fibers that maybe used in fabric 10 and provide low degrees of elasticity includenatural and synthetic fibres such as polyester, rayon, nylon, polyestersand elastomultiesters such as PBT and the bicomponent polyestersPoly(Trimethylene Terephthalate)/Polyethylene Terephthalate (PTT/PET).The identified elastomeric fibers are provided by way of example onlyand in various embodiments, any of various other suitable elastomericfibers or combinations of different elastomeric fibers may be used toform fabric 10. The elastic fibers may be formed of the same ordifferent material and with the same or different degrees of elasticity.In some embodiments in which two elastic fibers are used to form yarnsof fabric 10, one of the elastic fibers may be stretchable to a lengthof 400% of its original length and one of the elastic fibers is lesselastic but stretchable to about 20% of its original length. In otherembodiments, the fibers used to form fabric 10 represent othercombinations of fibers that have different degrees of elasticity. Insome embodiments, fabric 10 is formed of thermoplastic elastic fibers.In some embodiments, thermoplastic elastomers and thermoplasticpolyurethanes (TPU) having a well-combined structure of soft and hardbuilding segments that provides exceptional elasticity, are used.Various elastic polyurethane materials, collectively referred to aselastanes, may be used.

Fabric 10 is a single ply layer of fabric material and may be formed ofvarious fibers that combine to form various yarns that include multiplefibers. In some embodiments, both inelastic and elastic fibers extend inboth the warp and weft directions of fabric 10. In some embodiments,elastomeric material may be cast into mono-filaments and/or into staplefibers and may be utilized as-is or together with other fibers in ayarn. In some embodiments, fabric 10 is formed of elastic yarns thatinclude an elastic core of one or more elastic fibers and having aninelastic sheath covering the core. In one particular embodiment, theelastic core includes two elastic fibers, one being stretchable to alength of 400% of its original length and the other being less elasticbut stretchable to about 20% of its original length. In otherembodiments, the fibers used to form fabric 10 represent othercombinations of fibers that have different degrees of elasticity. Theinelastic sheath may be formed of cotton or other natural or syntheticmaterials. Various methods for forming a yarn by combining a stretchablecore including one or multiple fibers that have elastic properties, withan insulating sheath covering, are provided in US patent applicationPubl. No. 2013/0260129, the contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference as if set forth in their entirety. In some elastic core yarnembodiments, the core includes a bundle of one or multiple fibers, someor all of which are elastic. The fibers that make up the core may bejoined together by twisting, intermingling or co-extrusion. Inembodiments in which the fibers are intertwined, they may be intertwinedto various degrees. The elastomeric core is characterized by excellentrecovery and resiliency properties provided by one or more of the corefibers.

Core-spun and ring spun technologies are known and widely used processesin the textile industry, and involve combining two or more fibers withdifferent features, to form one yarn member. These and various othermethods for spinning fibers to produce yarns may be used to form fabric10.

Fabric 10 may also be formed of the following types of fabrics that maybe used to produce compression garments according to various embodimentsof the disclosure. Undyed fabrics, and all types of dyed fabrics such asindigo, reactive, pigment, and sulphur overdyed fabrics may be used asfabric 10. Fabrics that have fibers such as cotton together with anyselulosic fiber blends such as viscose, rayon, modal, cupro (brandedfibers like tencel), may be used as fabric 10. Natural fiber blends suchas linen, wool, cashmere and the like, may be used as fabric 10. Blendsof cotton and man-made fibers such as polyesther, pbt, naylon 6.0, nylon6.6 (for example, branded fibers like cordura, t400 and the like) may beused to produce fabric 10 according to embodiments of the disclosure.Various fabrics made using manmade fibers as staple or filament fiberssuch as polyesther, nylon, etc. may be used. Various types of wovenfabrics such as plain weaves, twills, canvas (panama), sateen and dobbytype woven fabrics made with the above mentioned fibers may be used asfabric 10. Stretch woven fabrics such as with elasthane in the weftdirection, the warp direction and in both the weft and warp directionsor stretch knitted fabrics with elastomeric fibers such as elasthane,pbt, t400, polyesther, and the like, may be used. In some embodiments,fabric 3 is a fabric with a fabric weight ranging from 1 oz/sqyd (33.906gr/sqm) to 14 oz/sqyd (474 gr/sqm) but various other fabric weights areused in other embodiments.

In some embodiments, both front panel 2 and rear panel 4 are formed ofthe described fabric 10 and in such embodiments in which both of frontpanel 2 and rear panel 4 are formed of the same fabric, the fabric, i.e.fabric 10 may advantageously have uniform elasticity. In otherembodiments, only front panel 2 or only rear panel 4 is formed of thedescribed fabric 10. According to one embodiment, one panel formed offabric 10 having uniform elasticity, is joined to a fabric of adifferent material to form a pant leg or other circumferentialcompression garment or garment portion, such that the circumferentialcompression garment or garment portion is formed of the same fabricpanel or fabric panels at each axial location, i.e each panel extendscompletely from one longitudinal end to the other of the circumferentialgarment or garment portion.

Still referring to FIG. 1, front panel 2 is defined by cut edges 6 andthroughout the longitudinal and, eventual, axial direction of frontpanel 2 (axial direction 28), front panel 2 is defined by opposed edges6A and 6B. Similarly, rear panel 4 is defined by cut edges 8 andthroughout the longitudinal and, eventual, axial direction of rear panel4, rear panel 4 is defined by opposed edges 8A and 8B. The dimensions ofthe respective panels, i.e. front panel 2 and rear panel 4, i.e. thedistance between opposed edges 6A and 6B, and the distance betweenopposed edges 8A and 8B respectively, are determined based on theengineered pattern design of the invention and are designed to providedesired compression effects and a desired dimension in thecircumferential direction, when panels 2 and 4 are combined to form apant leg. Once the dimensions are determined at the various locations,the geometric cuts are made to produce the determined dimensions of thegarment, such as will be shown in FIG. 5.

In other embodiments, a single panel is used to form a pant leg withonly one seam and the geometric cuts made to produce the determineddimensions, may be used to form the single panel. According to thisembodiment, the single panel of material has its opposed longitudinaledges joined to one another to form a seam thereby creating acircumferential compression garment, such as a pant leg.

According to various embodiments, fabric 10 is a single layer i.e.single ply of a fabric. The circumferential portion is a compressivecircumferential portion, i.e. it exerts a circumferential compressionwhen stressed as worn by a wearer. This circumferential compressionexterted by the worn garment is called garment compression (P) and maybe measured in kPa. The compressive circumferential portion appliescompression and is void of any significant overlap portions of thepanels although, of course, the seam may include a slight overlapportion between two fabric panels. In various embodiments of theinvention, various seam types may be used such as but not limited toseams formed by and referred to as a lock stitch, chain stitch, safetystich, surging stitch, overlapped stitch, zigzag stitch, cover stitch,blind stitch, merrow stitch, flat lock stitch, heat seam seal with anadhesive tape, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, or variouscombinations of the preceding. The compressive circumferential portionformed of a single layer of woven stretchable fabric is characterized asbeing void of any elastomeric straps or other compressive features orstraps or coatings attached to or laminated upon the compressivecircumferential portion. The compressive circumferential portion alsodoes not include any fabric or other extensions that extend in adirection acute or orthogonal to the plane of the fabric and thatproduce a fabric having uneven thickness.

According to various of the aforementioned embodiments, the two panelssuch as rear panel 4 and front panel 2 or a single panel, each extendcompletely along the longitudinal length, i.e. the length of the garmentalong the longitudinal direction 28, i.e. from one longitudinal end 21to the opposed longitudinal end 23 of a circumferential portion formedonly from the panels 2 and 4.

According to some embodiments, more than two panels of the same fabrichaving a uniform elasticity may be arranged to each extend completelyalong the longitudinal direction to create the circumferentialcompression garment. In other words, fabric 10 which may have uniformelasticity, is cut into multiple fabric panels that combine to form acircumferential portion of a compression garment in which each of themultiple fabric panels extend from one end to the other end of thecircumferential portion and in which the compression applied in thecircumferential direction is produced only by the circumferentialportion formed of the fabric panels, i.e. without any inner or outercompressive straps or other features.

In FIG. 1, either or both of front panel 2 and rear panel 4 may be cutat various angles with respect to the warp and weft directions of thefibers of fabric 10 in various embodiments.

Opposed edges 6A and 6B of front panel 2 are non-linear edges formed bymaking a geometric cut of fabric 10 as in the illustrated embodiment.Also in the illustrated embodiment, opposed edges 8A and 8B of rearpanel 4 are non-linear edges formed by making a geometric cut of fabric10. By “non-linear” it is meant that the respective edge is not acontinuously linear edge, i.e. not a continuously straight edge,although one or more of the respective edges may include multiple linearsegments. In some embodiments, either or both of front panel 2 and rearpanel 4, are jagged in shape and the edges of front panel 2 and rearpanel 4 are not a continuously gradually smooth edge. In otherembodiments, one of the opposed edges is straight edge and the otheredge will have more exaggerated cuts. In some embodiments, one or moreof edges 6A, 6B, 8A and 8B is linear as the dimensions are determined atvarious locations using the methods described herein.

In various embodiments, edges 6A, 6B, 8A, 8B include a number ofsections of straight portions and a number of section of curvedportions. In some embodiments, the straight portions include adjacentstraight portions that are angled with respect to one another andtherefore do not combine to form a continuously straight edge. In someembodiments, one or more or the edges 6A, 6B, 8A, 8B are nonlinear edgesformed of only a number of straight edge portions and in someembodiments, one or more or the edges 6A, 6B, 8A, 8B include at leastone curved portion connecting straight portions. In some embodiments,the entire edge 6A, 6B, 8A, or 8B is a continuously curved edge, and theedge curves may curve in and out periodically or regularly. In someembodiments, the entire edge 6A, 6B, 8A, 8B is a continuously straightedge. In some embodiments, the opposed edges, for example opposed edges8A, 8B of rear panel 4, are parallel to each other. This may be true foreither or both of front panel 2 and rear panel 4. In other embodiments,the opposed edges, for example opposed edges 6A, 6B of front panel 2,are each straight but angled with respect to one another. This appliesto either or both of front panel 2 and rear panel 4. In someembodiments, one or more of edges 6A, 6B, 8A, 8B includes both curvedportions and straight portions and the straight portions may extendalong a significant length of the panel, i.e. from location 12 tolocation 24 in some embodiments. Edges 6A, 6B, 8A, 8B may each take onany of various nonlinear shapes such as zigzag or curved and theconfiguration of the nonlinear edge may include regularly repeatingsections or an irregular edge.

In FIG. 1, each of front panel 2 and rear panel 4 is shown to have anumber of locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26, somewhatarbitrarily designated to aid in explaining aspects of the presentdisclosure and, as such, the eight locations are primarily forillustrative purposes. In some embodiments, the measurement locationsmay represent industry-standard locations for calculating garmentdimensions. A garment length necessary to produce a desired compressionis calculated for each of locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26and the fabric is cut accordingly. According to various embodiments,there is no physical difference in the fabric material in any of theso-identified “locations,” other than the dimensions as can be seen andthe elasticity or other aspects of the fabric material is constantthroughout the respective, i.e. either or both of front panel 2 and rearpanel 4.

In FIG. 1, front panel 2 has particular widths at the various locations12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 associated with non-linear opposededges 6A and 6B as illustrated. Rear panel 4 has particular widths atthe various locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 associated withnon-linear opposed edges 8A and 8B as illustrated. The eight arbitrarilydesignated regions 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 are regionsdesignated to be associated with a particular shape, configuration orlocation of the respective opposed edges.

According to embodiments in which a much higher number of designatedregions are used, a higher number of particular widths are determined,and therefore a greater number of segments between the designatedregions will exist and may produce a more smoothed-out looking edge,such as a curved edge.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of geometric cuts used to produceopposed edges of a front panel and rear panel. In FIG. 2, front panel102 has particular widths at the various locations 112, 114, 116, 118,120, 122, 124, and 126 associated with opposed edges 106A and 106B asillustrated. Portions of opposed edges 106A and 106B are straight andangled with respect to one another and portions of opposed edges 106Aand 106B are curved. Rear panel 104 has particular illustrated widths atthe various locations 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, and 126 inassociation with the non-linear nature of opposed edges 108A and 108B asillustrated. The eight designated regions 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122,124, and 126 are regions designated to be associated with a particularshape, configuration or location of the respective opposed edges butrepresent only a portion of the locations at which a dimension wascalculated. For example, at locations where edge 108B, for example, iscurved, multiple calculations were made at locations close to oneanother to produce the smooth effect.

In FIG. 2, at each of locations 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, and126 and many others, the geometric cuts determined according to thedisclosure are made to produce the desired dimensions, i.e. dimensions112R, 114R, 116R, 118R, 120R, 122R, 124R, 126R and dimensions 112F,114F, 116F, 118F, 120F, 122F, 124F, and 126F at the correspondinglocations 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 and 126. In someembodiments, most or all of dimensions 112R, 114R, 116R, 118R, 120R,122R, 124R, 126R differ from one another and in some embodiments, mostor all of dimensions 112F, 114F, 116F, 118F, 120F, 122F, 124F, and 126Fdiffer from one another.

FIG. 3 shows other aspects of the geometric cuts made in accordance withthe invention. In FIG. 3, front panel 202 is defined by opposed edges206A and 206B and rear panel 204 is defined by opposed edges 208A and208B although the particular locations at which the garment lengths weredetermined, are not shown. Edge 206A includes multiple straight segmentsand curved sections. The curved sections may result from using a highnumber of axial locations spaced close together at which garment lengthis determined. Edge 206A, for example includes adjacent linear segments209, 211 and 213 that are each angled with respect to each other andalso shows straight segment 219 adjacent to and angled with respect tocurved portion 217. Curved portion 215 is adjacent and angled withrespect to linear segment 213. By “angled with respect to each other,”it is meant that they are not co-linear. Edges 206A and 206B will bejoined to edges 208A and 208B, respectively, to form the circumferentialgarment. Proceeding along axial direction 28, it can be seen that thewidth of front panel 202 both increases and decreases along threesuccessive axial locations 225, 227 and 229. The width of front panel202 decreases from point 223 to point 225, then increases betweenlocation 225 and location 227 then decreases between location 227 andlocation 229, and so on. When a compression garment is formed by joiningfront panel 202 and rear panel 204, the circumferential garment portionwill be characterized by the circumferential length increasing anddecreasing accordingly. In a relaxed state such as when not worn, such acircumferential portion may have a ridged, undulating appearance (seeFIG. 5A).

According to any of the preceding embodiments, each of the opposed edges6A, 6B, 8A, 8B, 106A, 106B, 108A, 108B, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B is customtailored by calculating desired dimensions at a plurality of variouslocations. Referring again to FIG. 1, at each of locations 12, 14, 16,18, 20, 22, 24, and 26, the geometric cuts determined according to thedisclosure are made to produce the desired dimensions, i.e. dimensions12R, 14R, 16R, 18R, 20R, 22R, 24R, 26R and dimensions 12F, 14F, 16F,18F, 20F, 22F, 24F, and 26F at the corresponding locations 12, 14, 16,18, 20, 22, 24. In some embodiments, most or all of dimensions 12R, 14R,16R, 18R, 20R, 22R, 24R, 26R differ from one another. In someembodiments, most or all of dimensions 12F, 14F, 16F, 18F, 20F, 22F,24F, and 26F differ from one another.

In FIG. 1, the calculated dimensions 12R, 14R, 16R, 18R, 20R, 22R, 24R,26R and dimensions 12F, 14F, 16F, 18F, 20F, 22F, 24F, and 26F aredesigned to produce a circumferential garment portion when front panel 2is joined to rear panel 4 to form seams, such that the circumferentialgarment portion provide desired compression effects when worn by atypical wearer. Similarly, in FIG. 2, the calculated dimensions 112R,114R, 116R, 118R, 120R, 122R, 124R, 126R and dimensions 112F, 114F,116F, 118F, 120F, 122F, 124F, and 126F are made based on an engineeredpattern design and are designed to provide desired compression effectswhen front panel 102 is joined to rear panel 104 to form seams andproduce a circumferential garment portion when worn by a typical wearer.Various circumferential garments or circumferential garment portions maybe formed. By circumferential portion or circumferential garmentportion, it is meant that the garment or portion surrounds a wearer'sbody part such as an arm, leg, torso, ankle, knee, elbow and so forth.

The dimensions may continually increase along one axial or longitudinaldirection 28 or they may both increase and decrease along an axialdirection, i.e. the dimensions neither continuously increase nordecrease along one axial or longitudinal direction 28 as shown in FIG.3. Stated alternatively, in some embodiments, proceeding along the axialdirection 28, the dimension of the engineered garment first increasesbetween two successive locations then decreases, e.g. it increases fromlocation 22 to 20 and then decreases from location 20 and 18. In otherwords, the minimum and/or maximum dimension may lie somewhere in themiddle, not at either of the extreme locations 12 or 26. In someembodiments, the dimensions increase, then decrease then increase anumber of times along axial direction 28.

The following description applies to both the embodiment shown in FIG. 1and the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 but for the sake of brevityand clarity of description, the following description will continue tobe made with respect to FIG. 1.

The calculated dimensions are calculated to provide a total dimensionalong the circumferential dimension of a circumferential portion of acompression garment. In some embodiments in which both front panel 2 andrear panel 4 are used, the total circumferential dimension will be, forexample at location 14, the total of dimensions 14 F and 14 R. Accordingto embodiments in which two panels such as front panel 2 and rear panel4 are used, the panels are joined to form a seam that extends along thelongitudinal i.e. axial direction of the circumferential portion of thegarment. In other words, the two panels are not joined to form a seam inthe circumferential direction. In some embodiments in which only onepanel is used and its opposed edges are joined to one another, onecalculated dimension represents the total circumferential length such asdimensions 12C, 14C and 16C as will be shown in FIG. 5. For example, ifonly rear panel 4 is used to form a circumferential portion of acompression garment, dimension 14F itself represents the total dimensionalong the circumferential dimension at location 14.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the garment dimensions that determine thegeometric cuts used to produce the opposed edges 6A and 6B and opposededges 8A and 8B, may be made based upon several factors and the variousfactors may be factored in various mathematical formulas or algorithms.In some embodiments, one factor is the stress-strain characteristics offabric 10, as discussed above. The relationship between the stress andstrain that a particular material displays is known as that particularmaterial's stress-strain curve. The stress-strain curve is unique foreach material and is found by recording the amount of deformation(strain) at distinct intervals of tensile or compressive loading(stress). The stress-strain curve is often presented using a curvegenerated according to the best fit formula. The best fit formula curveenables a better estimation of other data points in the stress-strainrelationship. These curves reveal many of the properties of a materialincluding the Modulus of Elasticity, E, and illustrate variousstress-strain characteristics that may be considered as factors indetermining the geometric cuts. The stress-strain curves may be used toreveal fabric compressive force F associated with a particular amount ofdeformation. Fabric compressive force F, is based the degree ofstretching which will depend on the stretched size, i.e. size of theuser's anatomy, relative to the circumferential length of the garment ina relaxed state, at a particular location. Fabric compressive force, F,can be used together with circumference “U” to predict garmentcompression P as will be seen in equation (1).

Referring to equation (1), each of locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24,and 26, may represent a measuring point, “i”, at which the garmentcompression, P, and the desired garment length, may be calculated. Asindicated herein, the calculation may be made at various other numbersof locations instead of the exemplary eight locations listed herein, inother embodiments.

As above, the compression exerted on the wearer body part in thecircumferential direction, i.e. garment compression, P, can becalculated from Equation (1), which provides:

$\begin{matrix}{{Pi} = \frac{20\; \Pi^{*}\; F_{i}}{U_{i}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} (1)} \\{P = {{Garment}\mspace{14mu} {Compression}\mspace{14mu} {in}\mspace{14mu} {kPa}\mspace{14mu} {at}\mspace{14mu} {measuring}\mspace{14mu} {point}\mspace{14mu} i}} & \; \\{{F = {{garment}\mspace{14mu} {compressive}\mspace{14mu} {force}\mspace{14mu} {in}\mspace{14mu} N\text{/}{cm}\mspace{14mu} {at}\mspace{14mu} {measuring}}}\mspace{11mu} \text{}{{point}\mspace{14mu} i}} & \; \\{U = {{circumference}\mspace{14mu} {of}\mspace{14mu} {garment}\mspace{14mu} {in}\mspace{14mu} {cm}\mspace{14mu} {at}\mspace{14mu} {measuring}\mspace{14mu} {point}\mspace{14mu} i}} & \;\end{matrix}$

Garment compression is exerted when the garment is in a stretched statesuch as when worn by a wearer and in this state, U, the circumference ofthe stressed, i.e. stretched garment at measuring point i, is the sameas the circumference of the body part at measuring point i. Garmentcompressive force, F, is determined by the degree of stretching of thegarment. The degree of stretching can be converted to garmentcompressive force, F, using stress-strain curves which show garmentcompressive force as a function of the degree of stretching. FIG. 11shows an example stress-strain curve. The degree of stretching dependson the length of the stretched garment in comparison to the relaxedlength of the garment and this depends on the size of the wearer'sanatomy, at a particular measurment location i. Once the degree ofstretching is determined, it can be used in conjunction with astress-strain curve associated with a particular fabric, to yield agarment compressive force, F, value. Equation (1) shows that differentdegrees of stretching (associated with different degrees of garmentcompressive force F) can provide the same garment compression, P, atlocations where the circumference, U, varies.

The circumference of the wearer's anatomy such as a leg, which equalsthe stretched circumferential lengths (U) of the garment when in astressed state as worn by the wearer, is a length that can be measuredusing any conventional measurement means. The degree of stretching maybe expressed as [(U,stretched−U,relaxed)/U relaxed] in some embodimentsand it may be expressed as (U,stretched/U,relaxed) in other embodimentsdepending on the mathematical formula used. The degree of stretching canbe measured by comparing the stretched length to the relaxed lengthusing any conventional measurement tool.

The value of F increases as the stretched circumferential length, U,increases in order to provide the same garment compression P accordingto equation (1). The degree of stretching varies with garmentcompressive force F according to the stress-strain curves.

P, the garment compression in kPa, can be measured at the variousmeasuring points, i, when in a stressed state. In some embodiments,various suitable devices such as MST Professional by Swisslastic andHosy by Hohenstein Institute, can be used to measure P, the garmentcompression but other suitable devices may be used in other embodiments.For example, the Hatra measurement tool measures compression accordingto UK standards, and Pico Press is a portable compression measuringdevice that may be used. The Hosy device also measures compressiveforce, F, and may provide these measurements along with garmentcompression P.

The stress-strain curve may also be used in conjunction with the knownor desired garment compression P, a measured fabric compressive force,F, and a known anatomical dimension such as U in equation (1), todetermine the relaxed garment dimensions, e.g. dimensions 12R, 14R, 16R,18R, 20R, 22R, 24R, 26R, necessary to produce the desired garmentcompression P. According to one embodiment, the values for garmentcompression P and U (circumference of garment in cm at measuring point iin stretched condition) are obtained, and equation (1) is used to solvefor F. With the value of F determined, the stress-strain curve can beconsulted to determine the amount of stretch and since the stretchamount is known (U), the relaxed, i.e. unstretched length, can beobtained.

One factor that may be considered in determining the desired garmentcompression P and, therefore garment dimensions, at the variouslocations, is the desired compression class. Compression is a pressure,often described in units of millimeters mercury (mmHg) and may begrouped into various categories or classes, each associated with a rangeof compression force, e.g. 8-15 mmHg, 15-20 mmHg, 20-30 mmHg, 25-35mmHg, 30-40 mmHg, 40-50 mmHg and higher. According to some conventions,compression class 1 is defined as a compression of 20-30 mmHg,compression class 2 is defined as 30-40 mmHg, compression class 3 isdefined as 40-50 mmHg and compression class 4 is defined as higher than50 mmHg. According to some conventions, 8-15 mmHg is referred to as mildcompression and 15-20 mmHg is referred to as moderate compression. Otherconventions and definitions of compression classes may be used but,regardless of how the compression classes are defined, one of thefactors that may be considered in calculating the dimensions andtherefore the geometric cuts, is the compression class desired for aparticular body part location.

Another factor that may be utilized in determining the desired garmentcompression P and thus the desired dimensions, is a size chart. Anindustry standard size chart for a particular garment size, basicallyassociates the size, for example “men's jeans size L” with particulardimensions of the wearer's anatomy at various locations and is generallystandard, though it may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, orregion to region. For example, size “M” in Japan may be associated withdifferent dimensions of a human body than size “M” in the United States.A size chart may indicate that in the United States, size “M” for men'sjeans is associated with particular dimensions at particular locationsof a man's leg.

Measurement charts represent particular dimensions for a particulargarment such as a particular style of jeans, at a particular size. Themeasurement charts are associated with a typical wearer's size andprovide associated garment dimensions at various locations of thegarment, and can vary from product to product even within a singlemanufacturer. The measurement chart is typically both manufacturerspecific and product specific and in the present invention, themeasurement chart is determined according to the methods and principlesof the disclosed invention and may vary for different garment types anddifferent fabrics. A measurement chart may, for example, provideparticular garment dimensions at particular locations for a woman's size“Z” for dress slacks in the United States.

For a particular garment, the calculation of a garment dimensionrequired to yield a desired compression value “P”, may involve usingsize information of a wearer associated with a particular size chartsize, i.e. “U” in Equation (1), to calculate garment compressive force,“F” in Equation (1) and then, using the stress-strain curve and thestretched garment dimension, the necessary relaxed garment circumferencerequired to produce the desired compression value is determined.

Additional factors taken into account to determine garment compression Pinclude correction factors such as seam corrections and othercorrections. Seam corrections take into account the impact that seamformation has upon the stretchable garment, in particular, the impactthat a particular seam has upon the compression characteristics of agarment. Other correction factors may be considered as factors indetermining the geometric cuts and such factors may be fabric specific,brand or manufacturer specific or product specific correction factors.

Other factors that may be considered in other embodiments includefactors such as manufacturer or brand specific selected compressionclass, selected compression standard, selected size charts and variousother factors.

The factors listed above may be used in various combinations and invarious formulas and algorithms such as Equation (1) above, to estimateor calculate garment compressive force, F and garment compression P andstretched and unstretched (relaxed) garment dimensions.

The factors listed above should be considered to be illustrative but notlimiting of the various factors that may be used in conjunction withvarious mathematical formulae, for determining/calculating the desiredgarment compression and, dimensions. Once the desired garment dimensionsare determined, the geometric cuts can be made to produce the desireddimensions which yield the desired compressive force and garmentcompression values at various locations along the longitudinal directionof a worn compression garment. In some embodiments, two or more of theabove-listed factors are considered and may be considered in conjunctionwith other factors. In some embodiments, the different factors areweighted differently in calculating how to make the geometric cuts toproduce the desired garment dimensions.

In some embodiments, the factors presented in Equation (1) or otherformulas, are used to determine the desired widths of front panel 2 andrear panel 4 needed to produce a desired compression at variouslocations, such as the above-indicated locations. Fabric 10 is cut toproduce panels having the desired dimensions at the identifiedlocations. In some embodiments, the geometric cuts include geometriccuts to both of opposed edges which may both be nonlinear edges. Inother embodiments, one of the opposed edges may remain a straight orconventional cut while the other of opposed edges is non-linear, curved,partially curved or also straight, as a result of the geometric cutsmade to achieve the desired circumferential lengths of the fabric, basedon the engineered pattern design according to the disclosure. In someembodiments, complementary geometric cuts may be advantageously made onthe corresponding edges of the respective panels 2, 4 that will bejoined together, for improved ease of joining the respective panels 2, 4together by sewing or other means.

Example

One example of a method for determining garment dimensions and makingthe geometric cuts to produce the desired garment dimensions using anengineered pattern design, is as follows.

Once a fabric is selected, the fabric stress-strain curve and the bestfit formula for the fabric are obtained.

Next, in some embodiments, a sample compression garment is actually madewith the selected fabric. The sample compression garment iscircumferential, i.e. tubular in form. The circumferential length of thesample compression garment in a relaxed state is then measured atmultiple measurement points such as at locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22,24, and 26. These circumferential measurements from the samplecompression garment in a relaxed state, may be compared to a size ormeasurement chart for a particular size of the garment at each oflocations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 to determine degree ofstretch, in various embodiments, because the size chart represents thecircumferential length of a typical wearer for a particular size, ateach of the indicated locations and this is equal to the stretchedlength of the garment when stretched as worn by a wearer. According tosome embodiments, the sample compression garment is then tested, i.e.the actual garment compression P is measured at each of locations 12,14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 when the garment is in a stretched statesuch as on a body model member having the same dimensions in accordancewith a size chart. The garment compression measurements may be expressedas a pressure such as kPa, kilopascals (Newtons/(centimeter-squared)),or mmHg, in various embodiments.

In one embodiment, the actual garment compression P at each of locations12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 is measured in units of pressure suchas mmHg, and converted from pressure to garment compressive force, Fusing the following formula: F=[(measured pressure)×(size measurementsfrom size chart)/470] which produces garment compressive force F inunits of N/cm. In other embodiments, the actual garment compression P ismeasured in units of kPa and is converted from pressure to garmentcompressive force F using size measurements from size or measurementchart in Equation (1), above. According to either embodiment, garmentcompressive force F is now determined. The invention is not limited tothe above calculations and other units and other conversions may be usedto measure garment compression P and calculate garment compressive forceF, in other embodiments.

The degree of elongation is determined by comparing the stretchedgarment circumferential length based on the size chart, and the relaxedsample compression garment length at each of the locations 12, 14, 16,18, 20, 22, 24, and 26, the elongation being the ratio of the stretchedcircumferential length, i.e. the size of the wearer's anatomy “U” for atight-fitting garment, to the relaxed garment measurements. In someembodiments, the elongation is represented by[(U,stretched−U,relaxed)/U,relaxed] at each of the locations 12, 14, 16,18, 20, 22, 24, and 26. The stretched sample compression garmentcircumferential lengths may be determined by either consulting the sizechart or by measuring the length of the stretched sample compressiongarment on a body model member having the dimensions of a size chartassociated with a particular size. The two lengths (stretched garmentcircumferential length and relaxed garment circumferential length)reveal the degree of stretching and can be used with stress-straincurves to predict the fabric compressive force, f, at locations 12, 14,16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26. A seam correction factor may be obtained bycomparing a) the garment compressive force F obtained using the measuredgarment compression P, to b) the fabric compressive force f garneredfrom the stress-strain curve at locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24,26, as above based on the degree of stretching.

Desired garment compression P, in pressure, is then identified for eachlocation 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26.

The garment compressive force, F required to produce the desired garmentcompression P, is then calculated using the desired garment compression,expressed as a pressure, and standard size chart measurements at eachlocation using Equation (1), for example, when the desired garmentcompression is identified in pressure units kPa. The garment compressiveforce, F, is then converted to fabric compressive force, f, bymultiplying the garment compressive force F by the seam correctionfactor at each location 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26.

The stress-strain curve is then used to associate this fabriccompressive force, f, with a degree of elongation at each location 12,14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26. With the degree of elongation known andthe stretched garment length known as according to size charts, therelaxed length of the garment that will provide the desired garmentcompression P can be determined at each location.

The compression garment or the circumferential portion of thecompression garment is then formed by making geometric cuts to thefabric to produce one or more fabric panels that include relaxed garmentlength measurements as determined above. The method for determining therelaxed garment lengths is described in FIGS. 10A and 10B, below.

Note that the preceding is just one embodiment, using a fabricatedsample compression garment, for determining the required garmentmeasurements at suitable locations along the garment based on desiredcompression values at various locations of the garment and various otherfactors. In other embodiments, various other methods and techniques areused to determine the desired garment dimensions based on desiredcompression values at various locations. In many embodiments, afabricated sample garment is not necessary and the garment dimensionsare based on various of the preceding factors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In some embodiments, the desired garment compression value at each oflocations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 is defined for the garmentaccording to the desired compression class or other compression levelsand compression standards. The compression values at each of locations12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 are chosen to combine to provide acompression garment that provides the maximum therapeutic advantage.

In advantageous embodiments, the produced compression values are thesame at each of locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26, i.e.uniform compression is provided to a wearer. In this advantageousembodiment, the degree of stretching can vary at various locations aspredicted by equation (1). In some embodiments, the different degrees ofstretching include degrees of stretching that increase then decreasethen increase along one or more groups of three successive axiallocations, when the compression garment is in the stretched state asworn by the wearer.

In this case in which garment compression P remains constant and Uvaries and garment compressive force F will also vary as will the degreeof stretching.

In other embodiments, the produced compression values are different atone or more or all of locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26.According to such embodiments, the different compression values at thedifferent locations may vary gradually, abruptly or irregularly invarious embodiments. The compression values may continually increasealong one axial or longitudinal direction 28 to produce a gradient ofcompression. Alternatively, the compression values may both increase anddecrease along an axial direction. In some embodiments, the compressionvalues neither continuously increase nor continuously decrease along oneaxial or longitudinal direction 28. In other words, the maximum orminimum garment compression value is not at one end of the garment, butmay be at some intermediate location in some non-uniform compressionembodiments. Geometric cuts are made to fabric 10 to produce front panel2 and rear panel 4 based on the garment dimensions required to producethe desired garment compression values.

The garment dimensions determined to produce the desired garmentcompression, represent the circumferential length determined for variousaxial locations of the circumferential portion of the compressiongarment. In some embodiments in which only one panel, e.g. front panel 2or rear panel 4, is used, the circumferential length represents one ofthe garment dimensions (12F, 14F, 16F, 18F, 20F, 22F, 24F, 26F, 12R,14R, 16R, 18R, 20R, 22R, 24R, 26R) indicated above. In other embodimentsin which front panel 2 is joined to rear panel 4, the circumferentiallength is a total circumferential length when the two panels are joinedtogether. For example, the total circumferential length at location 16is the sum of garment dimension 16F and garment dimension 16R becausethe two panels are joined together at the indicated locations. Thecircumferential lengths will be shown as circumferential lengths 12C,14C, 16C, 18C, 20C, 22C and 24C in FIG. 5.

The geometric cuts are made based on the determined garment dimensionsto produce the garment dimensions 12F, 14F, 16F, 18F, 20F, 22F, 24F,26F, 12R, 14R, 16R, 18R, 20R, 22R, 24R, 26R at various locations of thegarment.

According to one embodiment, after fabric 10 is geometrically cut toproduce front panel 2 and rear panel 4, the panels are formed into acircumferential member, a pant leg in the case of the illustratedembodiment, by forming seams by joining the respective edges of frontpanel 2 and rear panel 4. FIG. 4 presents a comparison between frontpanel 2 formed according to embodiments of the disclosure, and aconventionally cut front panel 34. FIG. 4 shows that the outer edges 36of conventionally cut front panel 34 are significantly different thanopposed edges 6A, 6B of front panel 2. The difference between the cutsof the front panel 2 formed according to the disclosure and theconventional front cut panel 34 can be noted at various locationsincluding at arbitrary locations 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52 and 54which may be locations at which particular dimensions of front panel 2were determined according to the disclosure. Other locations are used inother embodiments.

FIG. 5 shows of two panels of fabric 10 such as shown in FIG. 1, formedinto a circumferential member, i.e. pant leg 60 of a compression garmentwhich is a pair of pants 68, in the illustrated embodiment. In otherembodiments, other compression garments are formed. According to otherembodiments, other circumferential portions of compression garments orother compression garments, may be formed. Pant leg 60 is defined byaxial direction 62 and circumferential direction 64 and is acircumferential garment portion that may alternatively be referred to asa tubular or cylindrical garment portion. Circumferential member, i.e.pant leg 60 in its relaxed state such as shown in FIG. 5 does not have astraight outer edge in axial direction 62. Rather, locations 12, 14, 16,18, 20, 22 and 24, such as shown in FIG. 1, have different widths, i.e.different lengths along circumferential direction 64. At locations 12,14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24, pant leg 60 has different circumferentiallengths 12C, 14C, 16C, 18C, 20C, 22C and 24C. This is due to thegeometric cut of edges 6A, 6B, 8A and 8B as shown in FIG. 1 anddiscussed above.

Again referring to FIG. 5, pant leg 60 is narrower at location 18 thanat location 16, i.e. pant leg 60 has a lesser length at location 18 inthe circumferential direction 64, than at location 16, when pant leg 60is in a relaxed state. In advantageous embodiments, the fabric of pantleg 60 includes constant elastic properties (i.e., uniform elasticity)and is characterized as having a plurality of zones or circumferentialbands at locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24 that are substantiallyparallel to one another and transverse to axial direction 62, thecircumferential bands including different lengths of fabric 10. FIG. 5also shows that the circumferential length of fabric both increases anddecreases along one direction of the axial direction 62 as illustrated,and also along the opposite axial direction. The same may be true forthe degree of stretching of pant leg 60 when worn. In other words, thecircumferential lengths 12C, 14C, 16C, 18C, 20C, 22C and 24C neithercontinuously increase nor continuously decrease along one axial orlongitudinal direction 28 when in a relaxed state. Stated alternatively,in some embodiments, proceeding along the axial direction 28, thecircumferential length of the engineered garment first increases betweentwo successive locations then decreases, e.g. it increases from location22 to 20 and then decreases from location 20 and 18 when in a relaxedstate. In other words, the maximum and/or minimum dimensions may be atan intermediate location such as location 16, 20 or 22, for example.

In other embodiments, the circumferential length of pant leg 60constantly increases or decreases along the axial direction 62 toproduce a gradient along an axial direction.

According to either of the aforementioned embodiments, the compressionmay be the same at the various locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and26 even though the degree of stretching will vary when worn by a wearer.The circumferential dimensions of pant leg 60 may be the same or maydiffer at locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26, and may producea circumferential garment compression that is the same at all locationsor which varies at the various locations.

FIG. 5A shows an embodiment of a compression possible according to themethods of the invention. The compression garment has ridged features ina relaxed state but which provides uniform compression to a wearer.Compression garment 500 is a pair of pants formed according to themethods of the invention, in a relaxed state. Compression garment 500provides uniform compression along the leg portion 502. In a relaxedstate, leg portion 502 includes undulations marked by rigid portions 504and valley portions 506. When stressed as worn by a wearer, differentlocations along the axial direction 508 of compression garment 500,stretch to different degrees but provide the same garment compression P.

FIG. 6 shows a circumferential member, pant leg 60 in a stressed stateas tightly worn on a body part of wearer 70, a typical wearer of thegarment. The body part is a leg of a human but according to otherexemplary embodiments, the circumferential member may be worn on otherparts of the human anatomy or on other animals. FIG. 6 shows that pantleg 60 of pants 68 includes some straight outer surfaces in the axialdirection 62 at some locations that correspond to straight locations ofthe wearer's body, i.e. leg 66, when worn by a wearer, as the pant leg60 is worn tightly by wearer 70 and conforms to the shape of thewearer's body part. Pant leg 60 is a circumferential, i.e. tubular orcylindrical garment portion and may be formed of one or two fabricpanels joined to form a seam 65, each of the fabric panels extendingcompletely from one longitudinal end, to another, i.e. from location 25to location 27. Seam 65 extends in the axial direct action 62 and may bea chain stitch, safety stitch or overlapped stitch in some embodiments,but any of the various seam types described above may be used. Seam 65is illustrated in an exemplary location only and may be placed at otherlocations in other embodiments.

In some embodiments, pant leg 60 may stretch to different degrees at therespective locations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 and becharacterized as applying the same compression at each of the respectivelocations 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26, based on the degree ofstretching and relaxed garment dimensions. According to each of thedescribed embodiments, the elasticity of the fabric may be uniformthroughout the fabric.

As such, various embodiments can be understood with respect to FIG. 6.In some embodiments in which the applied compression is nonuniform, thedegree of compression in the circumferential direction varies and mayhave a maximum and/or a minimum at an end location such as at location12 or 24, when in a stressed state such as when worn by a wearer. Thegarment compression may both increase and decrease along an axialdirection 62 and the compression profile may be characterized in thatthe compression values may increase, then decrease, then increase alongat least one group of 3 successive axial locations such as axiallocations 16, 18, and 20. The applied circumferential garmentcompression may continuously increase or decrease to form a compressiongradient along an axial direction of the wearer's body part.

In advantageous embodiments, the geometric cuts produce acircumferential compression garment with the same circumferentialcompression, i.e. the same garment compression P, throughout the lengthof the compression garment.

In other embodiments, the circumferential member forms a compressiongarment or a part of a compression garment other than a pant leg such asshown in the figures. In some embodiments, the circumferential member isformed of two or more fabric panels that each extend along the entirelongitudinal length of the circumferential member while in someembodiments, the circumferential member of the compression garmentcomprises a single piece of woven fabric 10.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a compression garment according tothe disclosure. FIG. 7 shows circumferential garment portion 51 of pantleg 60 described above and having the same circumferential compression(garment compression P) applied by the garment at the various axiallocations 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. Circumferential garment portion 51 maybe formed of one or multiple pieces of fabric each of which extend fromone longitudinal end 55 to the other longitudinal end 57. Joined tocircumferential garment portion 51 is a further circumferential garmentportion 53. Further circumferential garment portion 53 may be anon-compression garment portion i.e. further circumferential garmentportion 53 may be formed of a non-elastic fabric. Furthercircumferential garment portion 53 is longitudinally joined tocircumferential garment portion 51 at longitudinal end 55 and shares acommon axis 59 with circumferential garment portion 51. According tothis embodiment, the garment formed is a combination of circumferentialgarment portion 51 with uniform compression and further circumferentialgarment portion 53.

FIG. 8 shows a compression sock 80 embodiment of a compressive garmentformed according to the disclosure. Compression sock 80 may be formedaccording to any of the described methods and may have various degreesof compression or uniform compression when in a stressed condition suchas worn by a wearer. In some embodiments, compression sock 80 may notinclude foot portion 84 and may be more of a sleeve that covers thewearer's lower leg and extends downward only to ankle location 88.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart that illustrates a method for forming acompression garment according to the disclosure. At step 1001, fabric isprovided. The fabric is a stretchable fabric and may be fabric 10described above. At step 1003, fabric cuts, i.e. geometric cuts, arecalculated. More particularly, the dimensions of the garment at variouslocations are determined based on a number of factors such as describedabove. One or multiple geometric cuts are made to produce one or morefabric panels to produce the desired dimensions. Various mathematicalformulas and/or algorithms are used to generate the panel cuts from thefactors. The cuts are designed to provide desired compression values atthe various different locations of the garment. At step 1005, the fabricis cut into one or more panels. One or more of the panels may includevariously shaped edges as described above. At step 1007, a compressiongarment is formed using the one or more panels. The compression garmentincludes a circumferential portion that surrounds a body part of awearer. In some embodiments, the circumferential portion is formed byjoining edges of a single fabric panel to form a circumferential portionwith a single seam and in other embodiments, the circumferential portionis formed by joining a plurality of pieces of fabric including the panelwith at least one non-linear edge. The degree of stretching of thefabric at the various locations may be the same or may differ when worn,as a result of the various lengths of material in the circumferentialdirection, e.g. lengths 12F, 14F, 16F, 18F, 20F, 22F, 24F, 26F, 12R,14R, 16R, 18R, 20R, 22R, 24R, 26R as in FIG. 1. In one advantageousembodiment, the degrees of stretching vary at the different axiallocations but the garment compression P is the same.

FIGS. 10A and 10B together present a flowchart for performing a sequenceof operations and various calculations for making the geometric cuts toproduce the compression garment, according to Equation (1).

At step 2001, select fabric, a stretchable woven fabric having a uniformelasticity such as described above, is chosen. At step 2003, a fabricstress-strain curve generated using the best fit formula, is obtainedfor the selected fabric. At step 2005, a sample compression garment isformed with the selected fabric. The sample compression garment istubular, i.e. circumferential, in shape. At step 2007, the circumferenceof the sample compression garment is measured at multiple points, i,when the sample compression garment is in a relaxed state. The multiplepoints, i, represent multiple locations along the axial direction of thesample compression garment. Step 2009 indicates that U,relaxed isobtained from step 2007.

At step 2011, standard size chart measurements are obtained and may beused to identify U,stretched at each of the locations i, in which thecircumference was obtained on the sample compression garment in arelaxed state. The standard size chart measurements are indicative of awearer's anatomy and therefore represent the circumference length of thecompression garment in a stretched state at various locations, whenworn. In some embodiments, the sample compression garment is placed on abody part model that includes standard size chart dimensions and thesample compression garment lengths, U,stretched, are obtained at eachlocation i. Step 2013 indicates that U,stretched was obtained at step2011. At step 2015 actual elongation of the sample compression garmentis calculated using U,stretched and U,relaxed. Step 2017 shows thatactual elongation is U,calculated=((U,stretched−U,relaxed)/U relaxed) inthis embodiment.

At step 2019, the garment compression exerted by the sample compressiongarment is measured at each point i of the sample compression garment.This pressure measurement may be in pressure units kPa, kilopascals, butother units of pressure such as mmHg, may be used in other embodiments.Garment compression, i. e., pressure, may be measured as indicatedabove. Step 2021 indicates that garment compression P was obtained ateach point i, in step 2019.

At step 2023, garment compressive force F is calculated based on themeasured garment compression P obtained in step 2019 and the actualmeasured circumference, U,stretched (equal to the size chartmeasurements) using Equation (1) with garment compression P measured inkPa. In other embodiments in which garment compression P is measured inmmHg, an equation used to calculate garment compressive force F based ongarment compression P may be: garment compressive force F=(GarmentCompression*U, stretched)/470. In other embodiments, other mathematicalrelations may be used. The calculated garment compressive forcecalculated in step 2023 is indicated as obtained in step 2025.

At step 2027, elongation, i.e. U,calculated is used in conjunction withthe stress-strain curve to calculate fabric compressive force f at eachlocation i, as indicated at step 2029.

At step 2031, seam correction is calculated. The seam correction is theratio of garment compressive force F obtained in step 2025 to the fabriccompressive force f as indicated in step 2029, at each location i. Theseam correction factor is a pure number. At step 2033, variouscompression levels and compressive standards are considered and based onsuch considerations, at step 2035, desired garment compression isidentified for each location i. At step 2037, the desired garmentcompression P,desired is then known for each location i.

At step 2039, the calculation described above in conjunction with steps2023 and 2025 is carried out to determine the garment compressive forceF required to produce the desired garment compression, P,desired fromstep 2037. Step 2041 shows that “F,required” is thereby obtained. Atstep 2043, at each location i, the garment compressive force F isadjusted to produce the required fabric force f. In particular, thegarment compressive force F is multiplied by the seam correction factorto produce an associated fabric compressive force f such that willproduce the desired garment compression P,desired. At step 2045 fabriccompressive force f has been determined. With the fabric compressiveforce f, known, the elongation U,calculated is determined at step 2047using the stress strain curve for the fabric. With the elongation,U,calculated known at step 2049 and the value of U,stretched known, i.e.the U values of the standard size chart measurements, the value forU,relaxed can be determined at each location I at step 2051.

These values, U,relaxed are the circumferential length values of thecompressive garment or compressive garment portion being produced asabove.

FIG. 11 shows two example stress-strain curves. In each stress-straincurve, garment compressive force, “load,” is expressed in kgf (kilogramforce) with respect to associated extension of the garment indicated onthe abscissa. In the presented stress-strain curves, garment stress isexpressed in millimeters of extension for a sample garment specimen ofknown length and the degree of stretching such as (U, stretched−U,relaxed)/U, relaxed] or (U, stretched/U, relaxed) may be calculatedtherefrom. In other embodiments, the degree of stretch expressed on theabscissa may represent one of the above cited formulations or as apercentage stretch. The example stress-strain curves are examples forsample specimens and various other types of stress-strain curves may beused in various embodiments.

The disclosed compression garment can be used to provide compression toa body part of a wearer. The disclosure provides a compression garmentof a woven fabric with elasticity throughout and including acircumferential portion with the circumferential lengths of fabric atdifferent axial locations tailored to produce desired compression levelsat the various locations. When the garment is in a relaxed state, asdescribed above, and as shown in FIG. 5, circumferential lengths mayvary or be the same at the various locations. When in a stressed state,e.g. when worn by a wearer, the garment may stretch to different degreesor to the same degree at the various locations to provide a compressionthat may be the same or may vary along the axial locations, also asdescribed above. In one advantageous embodiment, the garment stretchesto different degrees at the various locations and provides a uniformcompression at all axial locations. In some embodiments, the compressiongarment is a pair of jeans such as shown in FIGS. 5, 5A and 6. In someembodiments, the jeans are formed of stretchable denim thatadvantageously provides a fashionable appearance. In some embodiments,the compression garment is a pair of compression socks such as shown inFIG. 8.

The preceding merely illustrates the principles of the disclosure. Itwill thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able todevise various arrangements which, although not explicitly described orshown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are includedwithin its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples and conditionallanguage recited herein are principally intended expressly to be onlyfor pedagogical purposes and to aid the reader in understanding theprinciples of the invention and the concepts contributed by theinventors to furthering the art, and are to be construed as beingwithout limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions.Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, andembodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, areintended to encompass both structural and functional equivalentsthereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include bothcurrently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future,i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardlessof structure.

This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read inconnection with the figures of the accompanying drawing, which are to beconsidered part of the entire written description. In the description,relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”“above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well asderivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,”etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then describedor as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms arefor convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus beconstructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms concerningattachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and“interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are securedor attached to one another either directly or indirectly throughintervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments orrelationships, unless expressly described otherwise.

Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplaryembodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claimsshould be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodimentsof the disclosure, which may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.

1. A compression garment (68, 80) comprising a circumferential portion(66) formed of a woven stretchable fabric (10) with uniform elasticproperties, and characterized as exhibiting different degrees ofstretching at different axial locations of said circumferential portionbut providing the same degree of garment compression (P) throughout saidcircumferential portion, when said compression garment is in a stressedstate as worn by a wearer (70).
 2. The compression garment (68, 80) asin claim 1, wherein said degree of stretching comprises((U,stretched−U,relaxed)/U relaxed), U,stretched comprises stretchedcircumferential length of said compression garment in a stressed statewhen worn, and U,relaxed comprises circumferential length of saidcompression garment in a relaxed state.
 3. The compression garment (68,80) as in claim 1, wherein, along an axial direction of saidcircumferential portion (66), values for circumferential lengths (12C,14C, 16C, 18C, 20C, 22C, 24C, 26C) of said circumferential portion firstincrease, then decrease, then increase, at least a plurality of timeswhen said compression garment is in a relaxed state.
 4. The compressiongarment (68, 80) as in claim 3, wherein said circumferential portionincludes undulations (504, 506) in the axial direction when in a relaxedstate.
 5. The compression garment (68, 80) as in claim 3, wherein saidcircumferential portion includes circumferentially extending ridges(504) along said axial locations when in a relaxed state.
 6. Thecompression garment (68, 80) as in claim 1, wherein said wovenstretchable fabric is a single ply, uncoated material.
 7. Thecompression garment (68, 80) as in claim 1, wherein said circumferentialportion (66) comprises no more than a single panel (2,4) of said wovenstretchable fabric.
 8. The compression garment (68, 80) as in claim 1,wherein said circumferential portion (66) comprises two panels (2,4) ofsaid woven stretchable fabric (10), joined to form seams that extendalong the axial direction (28) of said circumferential portion (66),each said panel extending completely from one longitudinal end to anopposed longitudinal end of said circumferential portion.
 9. Thecompression garment (68, 80) as in claim 1, wherein said wovenstretchable fabric (10) comprises denim.
 10. The compression garment asin claim 1, wherein said compression garment comprises a pair of jeans(68) and said circumferential portion comprises a thigh portion of apant leg (60).
 11. The compression garment as in claim 1, wherein saidcompression garment comprises compression socks (80) or sleeves thatcover the wearer's lower legs.
 12. A method for manufacturing acompression garment, said method comprising: providing an uncoatedstretchable woven fabric (10); cutting (1005) said single-ply, uncoatedstretchable woven fabric (10) to form at least one panel (2, 4) thereof,and forming (1007) a circumferential portion (60) of said compressiongarment (68) in which each said at least one panel (2, 4) extends toopposed longitudinal ends of said circumferential portion, wherein saidcircumferential portion exhibits different degrees of stretching butapplies the same degree of circumferential garment compression (P) atdifferent axial locations (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26), when saidcompression garment is in a stressed condition when worn by a wearer(70).
 13. The method as in claim 12, wherein said cutting comprisescutting said single-ply uncoated stretchable woven fabric (10) toproduce circumferential lengths that increase, then decrease, thenincrease (225, 227, 229), at least a plurality of times, along an axialdirection, when said circumferential portion is in a relaxed state. 14.The method as in claim 12, wherein said cutting forms a single panelhaving a seam (65) that extends in said axial direction (62).
 15. Themethod as in claim 12, wherein said cutting forms two said panels (2, 4)joined to form seams that extend in an axial direction of saidcircumferential portion (60).
 16. The method as in claim 12, whereinsaid uncoated stretchable woven fabric is a single-ply uncoatedstretchable woven fabric, with uniform elasticity.
 17. The method as inclaim 12, wherein said stretchable woven fabric (10) is denim.
 18. Themethod as in claim 12, wherein said compression garment comprises a pairof jeans (68).
 19. The method as in claim 12, wherein said compressiongarment comprises compression socks (80).
 20. The method as in claim 12,wherein said different degrees of stretching include degrees ofstretching that increase then decrease then increase along at least onegroup of three successive axial locations (14, 16, 18) of said axiallocations, when said compression garment is in said stretched state asworn by said wearer (70).
 21. The method as in claim 12, furthercomprising calculating (1003) a plurality of relaxed circumferentialfabric lengths to produce said same degree of garment circumferentialcompression (P) exerted on a wearer's body part when saidcircumferential garment portion is in said stretched condition when wornby a typical wearer, at each of said plurality of said different axiallocations (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26) according to equation (1),$\begin{matrix}{{Pi} = \frac{20\; \Pi^{*}\; F_{i}}{U_{i}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$ wherein P=garment circumferential compression in kPa,F=garment compressive force in N/cm and U=body part circumference in cm,at each measuring point i associated with a corresponding one of saidplurality of said different axial locations of said compressive garmentportion, and wherein said cutting is based on said calculating andproduces said plurality of relaxed circumferential fabric lengths. 22.The method as in claim 21, further comprising forming (2005) a modelcircumferential garment portion using at least one panel of saidsingle-ply, uncoated stretchable woven fabric (10); measuring (2007) arelaxed circumferential length of said model circumferential garmentportion in a relaxed condition, at each of said plurality of saiddifferent axial locations; stretching (2011) said model circumferentialgarment portion by placing said model circumferential garment portion ona body model member having known circumferential lengths at each saidaxial location, to provide a plurality of stretched circumferentiallengths (U) (2013); and calculating (2023) said garment compressiveforce (F) based on said degree of stretching using a stress-strainrelationship of said single-ply, uncoated stretchable woven fabric ateach said axial location.
 23. The method as in claim 21, wherein saidknown circumferential lengths of said body model member or dimensionsassociated with a size chart for a particular wearer size, and furthercomprising forming (2005) a model circumferential garment portion usingat least one panel of said single ply, uncoated stretchable woven fabric(10); measuring (2007) a relaxed circumferential length of said modelcircumferential garment portion in a relaxed condition, at each of saidplurality of said different axial locations; stretching (2011) saidmodel circumferential garment portion by placing said modelcircumferential garment portion on a body part model having knowncircumferential lengths at each said axial location, to provide aplurality of stretched circumferential lengths (2013); measuring (2019)said garment compression P at each said axial location of said modelcircumferential garment portion; calculating (2023) a garmentcompressive force F based on said measured garment compression P, ateach said axial location; calculating (2015, 2017) a degree ofstretching at each said axial location using said stretchedcircumferential lengths and said relaxed circumferential lengths;determining (2029) fabric compressive force f at each said axiallocation using a stress-strain curve of said stretchable single layerwoven fabric (10) and said calculated degrees of stretching at each saidaxial location; determining (2031) a seam correction factor by comparingsaid calculated garment compressive force F to said determined fabriccompressive force f; determining (2039) a required garment compressiveforce F,required, to produce said desired garment compression at eachsaid axial location; converting (2043) said required garment compressiveforce F,required to a required fabric compressive force f at each saidaxial location by multiplying said required garment compressive force Fby said seam correction factor; and determining (2051) saidcircumferential fabric lengths using said required fabric compressiveforce f and said stress-strain curve.